


Go Gentle

by Anonymous



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, By making it much much worse, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Past Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), self-sacrificing idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-21 14:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18703831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: 70 years later and on an alien planet, Shuri finally figures out why Steve chose to do what he did.





	Go Gentle

"I don't suppose you plan on telling me why you brought me here," the old woman quipped to the even older white man, about a decade counting one way and nearly double her age the other. "It's a long way to go if only for the view."

Bucky smiled brightly at her, reminiscent of the young unwrinkled visage she remembered from all those years ago, back before his hair and beard had gone pure white to match his name.

"But isn't it a view? Our Grand Canyon's got nothing on this."

He had a point, Shuri thought. The wash of stars suspended above them illuminated the alien planet for miles, even deep down into the recesses of the valley below.

"Go on, ask your question," Bucky prodded, and Shuri sighed inwardly at the fact that even through all these years, he could still read her like a book.

"Why did he choose to leave you?"

Shuri regretted asking it as soon as the words left her lips, but Bucky didn't even so much as frown.

"Because I had time to spare and Peggy didn't."

He lingered by the cliff's edge, looking down. "It works out better this way. Natalia's lived through enough solitude for more than one lifetime."

Shuri felt Bucky take hold of her hand, and her heart broke as her mind, her brilliant mind, unkindly put the pieces together.

"I don't want be alone," she protested, as her frail fingers made contact with his chest.

He gave her a sad smile. "That's why it'll work. Also, you know better than to think that you're ever alone, my king."

A sob tore its way out from her chest and she flung her arms around him in an embrace.

"Was it this hard for you when you pushed him off?" Shuri asked.

"'Course not," he said, brushing her tears away. "He told me to take my time, that's why I got to spend the last seventy years of my life with you, and Sam, and watching all the baby-vengers grow up and save the world just like their ma's and pa's. But now it's time for me to go home."

He kissed the crown of her head.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything you gave back to me," Bucky whispered.

"Of course. I love you."

\------

_Bucky opened his eyes to the shitty modern art print that always hung in the kitchen of the Avengers compound._

_"Took you long enough," Natasha said from the wet bar, before draining the rest of her macchiato._

_"Bucky?"_

_His heart nearly stopped._

_In the next beat, in his arms, in his two flesh and bone arms, was his Steve Rogers, young again and deserumed and overjoyed, who kissed him deep and long like breathing no longer mattered._

  
&TALHEA

 


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